oDesk Credits

Commitment by

oDesk

In 2011, oDesk, a global employment website that helps employers hire, manage, and pay freelancers for individual projects, committed to offer $100,000 in oDesk credits to start-up firms through the Startup America Partnership web platform. The Startup America Partnership is a private organization working to help young firms succeed in order to accelerate job growth in America. Through Startup America's online platform, corporations and non-profits provide financial and in-kind services to qualifying firms less than five years old. The oDesk Credits program is focused on helping Startup America firms find and hire great cost-effective talent through oDesk. Building global distributed teams provides companies with an incredible amount of leverage, flexibility and scalability - things that every company needs to succeed.

Tabs

Commitment

Launched

2011

Est. Duration

2 Years

Estimated Total Value

$100,000

Region

Northern America

Countries

United States

Commitment by

oDesk

Partner(s) of the Commitment Maker(s)

Startup America Partnership

Details

APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
The oDesk Credits program is focused on helping Startup America firms find and hire great cost-effective global talent on oDesk. As a startup ourselves, oDesk saw the benefits of an online workforce firsthand. With only 58 employees, our business serves over 1.5 million users who spend more than $18 million with us every month. oDesk augments its staff with more than 200 dedicated contractors from around the world, hired through the oDesk marketplace. This workforce provides oDesk with an incredible amount of leverage, flexibility and scalability - things that every startup needs to succeed. By offering oDesk Credits, oDesk hopes to provide Startup America start-ups the opportunity to experience for themselves the benefits a global online workforce can bring to their business.
oDesk has committed to offer $100,000 in oDesk credits to Startup America firms at $50 per firm through Startup America's online platform. 2,000 Startup America firms will benefit from the oDesk Credits offer. Startup America firms will access the oDesk offer through the Startup America website, then join oDesk and post jobs to the oDesk marketplace to start receiving contractor applications. oDesk's product platform will enable Startup America firms to find, hire, manage, and pay their contractors. oDesk's Work Diary will give these firms real-time visibility into contractors' work to help manage their online teams. Jobs on oDesk range from a couple hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
IMPLEMENTATION, TIMELINE, AND DELIVERABLES
oDesk is working with Startup America to implement and launch this offer by September 12, 2011. oDesk will implement the offer within Startup America's platform, create a customized landing page, and work through other tactical details prior to launch. This offer will most likely be good for three years.

Background

Entrepreneurs that start companies are often capital constrained and don't have sufficient resources to hire full time employees. In addition, finding specific skills in a limited geographic area can be challenging. Our commitment through Startup America will help startups cost-effectively find talent, bring new products to market, and develop their businesses. This will also help contractors secure additional job opportunities and further develop their skill sets.

Progress Reports

This commitment was reported unfulfilled due to a shift in organizational priorities.